Demons of the League of Assassins
by WriterfromShadows
Summary: Percy Jackson finds himself on Earth-1 and because he has a knack for the unconventional, it had to be in Nanda Parbat, the headquarter of the disbanded League of Assassins, that has one inhabitant left and gains some more, old and new. Oliver Queen has to confront his own problems. As a father, the mayor, brother to a comatose sister and Green Arrow, he is stretched far too thin.
1. Chapter 1 - I: Starting Anew

_Skip this if you want, but it would be nice, if you read it._

_First the Disclaim:_

_This is a fanfiction site and should be the logic consequence, but to make it clear:I own neither Percy Jackson nor Arrow, only my plot ideas. The rights to the book and the show belong to Rick Riordan and DC-Comics/CW/Warner Bros. (This counts for all chapters, because I don't want to repeat myself)_

_Second:_

_If you find any mistakes, let it be grammar or spelling, let me know. I don't work with a beta, but if anyone is interested, it would be my honor if someone would proofread this._

_Third:_

_Please, give this story a try, it is the first fanfiction I wrote. (I started publishing on wattpad and only moved on this site, too after some consideration.)_

_Fourth:_

_The story plays after Season 5 of Arrow, and after Heroes of Olympus - Blood of Olympus._

_Fifth:_

_If you have any questions, feel free to ask me._

_Sixth:_

_Have fun!_

**Chapter 1 - I: Starting Anew**

1 Restoring the League

Somewhere beneath the Hindu Kush

In the headquarters of the disbanded League of Assassins, Nanda Parbat, one could hear the clanking of swords through the abandoned halls. In the scanty illuminated throne room, Ra's Al Ghul crossed blades with a lean man with black hair, who wielded his swords as graceful as the Demon's Head. They traded a few more blows until the nearly six-foot-tall man got around the other one's defence, disarmed him and held his regal blades crossed in front of Ra's Al Ghul's throat, one, a long ancient bronze xiphos, the other a katana decorated with an ocean blue aquamarine on the hilt.

"And you have won again, Al 'iiesar."

The victor of the sparring match relaxed his stance and put his blades in a slightly screeching tone away.

"Even before I trained you, you had great knowledge and talent in combat and stealth, but you adapted even more and now you are the best", Ra's Al Ghul praised his student, who had sheathed his swords.

"I think you overestimate me, there is always someone better out there in the world", the in assassin's gear clothed student replied.

"You didn't see much of the world, after your arrival here.", Ra's pointed out as he retrieved his sword.

"You very well know, I didn't, I cherished the seclusion even with Black's erratic visits. Your stories and those of the priestess were certainly entertaining enough to hold me here, as well as our sparring matches. But ... one thing the priestess told me ... got me thinking. Your daughter disbanded the League. There are thousand trained assassins out there on the loose. They are a possible danger when uncontrolled. Then they could kill anyone they want or work as mercenaries. So I was thinking, we should gather them, to minimize the body count and possible world ending situations."

Ra's Al Ghul laughed, "And how do you plan on finding them all? Men and women trained to be figuratively invisible?"

Al 'iiesar smirked. "I won't be the one to find them. You will", he replied amusement lacing his voice, "because you know them. They were your men, your soldiers, and who is better than a ghost to find them all?"

"You are hard to argue with", the mentor replied, "so who shall I seek first:

Nyssa, Al Sa-her or Al Sah-him."

"How about we first find the footsoldiers and then the generals? So nobody vouches for the men loyal to only them."

"You are wise. I taught you the way of the League and you think already like it's leader. You are the one, who gathers them, maybe you shall become the League's leader."

"Why should I? I look for someone with the right morals and if the person is fit and overcomes their trials, I will grant them a chance for leadership."

"I think it is your fate to lead the League."

Al 'iiesar's ever-changing green eyes flashed dangerously.

"Don't say another word. The day is too beautiful to be tainted with words concerning prophesies and fate"

"As you wish, Al 'iiesar. But some day, some day soon, you shall listen, Perseus", replied the Ghost of Ra's Al Ghul and faded out of sight.

**2 After Lian Yu**

Starling City

Oliver Queen woke up from another nightmare, where his friends died on Lian Yu, only to reassure himself, that they got from the island, it was a narrow escape, but they made it. His friends, his sister, his beloved, his son. Only Samantha did not survive and they had no news concerning Malcom. In the end, Prometheus may have destroyed Lian Yu, but he could not destroy the spirit, that held them together. They came back, stronger than before. They were wet, cold and exhausted, but they were alive (even if Thea was in a coma).

Oliver tried to push the memories in the back of his mind as he sat up. He went through the apartment, got a glass and filled it at the kitchen counter with water.

He was mayor, the Green Arrow, a father and Oliver Queen at the same time. And it was exhausting.

**3 Flashback 01**

Nanda Parbat

The wind blew restlessly through the valley of Nanda Parbat. It gathered sand only to dissipate it again. The deserted headquarters of the League of Assassins was only lightened by the full moon, but in front of the building, the wind slowly started to form a sandstorm. It got faster and faster, and it looked like the moon rays were pulled into the sand tornado, so the tornado glowed silvery and golden from within. Suddenly the storm exploded in that golden light and there was silence. The wind was a light breeze and the sand was on the ground again. Nothing had changed from before except the bodies lying in the middle of the grounds of Nanda Parbat. They belonged to a tall man whose forearms were completely covered in golden bracelets and a stallion so black, it was nearly invisible in the night. Both were lying motionless in the sand, where the priestess, the last inhabitant of Nanda Parbat, found them in the morning.

**4 Gathering**

Nanda Parbat

Al 'iiesar looked calmly out of the open window of Nanda Parbat. He could see through the valley and felt the heat of the midday.

"May I know, what you wish?", Al 'iiesar asked suddenly and turned around to face the priestess who stood in the shadows at the end of the room and looked directly into her eyes.

"I wanted to thank you."

"Why should you thank me?", questioned the man irritated.

"You will bring back life to my home. It is my duty as priestess to interpret prophecies and read destinies. Yours, however, is very special. You could make the League prosper or destroy it as if it was nothing. Yet you chose to rebuild it, for that I am grateful."

"You don't need to thank me, I am merely doing what I think is the best", Al 'iiesar replied.

"You may not deem yourself important, but I realize your importance."

"What importance, priestess? I know who and what I am. A soul damned to walk the earth until the end of time. You know nothing."

"On the contrary I believe, you are here to deal with one of the League's oldest enemies."

Al 'iiesar frowned and stared into the priestess' eyes.

"Which enemy are you talking about?"

She answered with a sly grin: "I'm deeply sorry, but that knowledge is classified, exclusive to the priestess of the league and Ra's al Ghul."

With this she walked away, leaving a torn Al 'iiesar behind.

**5 Flashback 02**

Nanda Parbat

The priestess was clueless as to how the man and the horse got in the grounds of Nanda Parbat, but nonetheless, she hoisted the man up and dragged him inside the monastery like building. She laid him in one of the nearest beds. She didn't know why she took him in, only that her intuition made her do it. As she looked at him, she scrutinized the man: he was muscled, but lean, his hair was long to his shoulders. His sleep wasn't peaceful and the priestess realized he had a powerful aura like that of a warrior around him. The priestess stopped her musings and tried to wake him up.

Even after numerous tries, the priestess was not able to wake the man she had found. He was a restless, but deep sleeper. And it looked like he had a nightmare, a bad one at that.

Just as the priestess wanted to give up and went out of the room the man suddenly woke up, chest heaving and a startled look in his eyes.

"Who are you? Where am I?", he asked, frantically looking around. The priestess tried to reassure him and spoke in a low tone:

"Calm down. You are in Nanda Parbat, boy, and I am the priestess here. I do not know how or why you are here, but I am sure there is a reason", she told him, because she believed there had to be a reason this man appeared in Nanda Parbat.

She wanted to question him, as she noticed he was already asleep again.

**AN**: Reviews are always appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2 - II: Spontaneous Sparring

**1 Troubling Times**

Starling City

Oliver Queen had more problems than he wanted:

\- he had more enemies than he could keep track of

\- his sister had been in a coma since Lian Yu

\- he was not only targeted as Green Arrow but also as mayor, which pretty much set him into highest alert on all times

\- and he still didn't know what to do in terms of William and Felicity

So, all in all, it wasn't his all-time high, but neither was his time on the island, so he could manage it, he would manage it.

**2 To be on piecework training**

Nanda Parbat

Al 'iiesar was leaning against a wall in the shadows and watched the recruits training, Ra's was standing beside him.

"They are not as rusty as I feared", Al 'iiesar said with begrudging respect.

"I trained many of them myself", Ra's had a slightly proud smile on his face,

"and as far as I heard you still have not fought against a single one of them, you only hang around in the shadows, obviously avoiding any contact."

"Indeed, it seems so, but to tell the truth I did not want to single some poor soul out and defeat him in a humiliating way, they are no real challenges. On the other side, I would not mind a good spar."

Al 'iiesar looked challenging to Ra's, "would you mind?"

Ra's' answer came with a stab of his sword. "Not in the least."

Al 'iiesar expecting it parried the stab, as he saw the attack coming. They fought with unknown speed, trading blow after blow. The assassins stopped their own training to watch these two masters of fighting, not daring to interrupt.

Al 'iiesar moved gracefully, never stopping, lead by his intuition. Ra's, on the other hand, moved not more than necessary, calculating his moves while fighting. Never once did it look like one was superior to the other for a layman, but what the trained eyes of the assassins saw was something different: they noticed nearly every opening and nearly every weakness, and they were impressed. Ra's al Ghul could not defeat a single man, who was not even a, to them, verified member of the League.

Then Al 'iiesar got a shot at the hilt of Ra's' sword and twisted Ra's al Ghul's blade with his sword, so Ra's had to drop his weapon. It left the assassins gobsmacked with which ease Al 'iiesar had used the disarming technique.

"You could have beaten me earlier", Ra's stated emotionless.

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?"

Ra's did not answer him, instead, he spoke to the gathered group of Assassins, who had paused their training to watch this impressive match.

"Before I introduce him", at this Ra's pointed at Al 'iiesar, "I want a group from among you, I suggest around ten, to challenge him as his introduction to you. So he may prove his worth to you."

After his words, ten black-clad persons made a step forward, out of the crowd.

"Your challengers, Afendī", Ra's lightly mocked his protégé, who did not change his posture, merely a slight nod of his head to hide his grin could have given him away.

"Of course, Mylord", Al 'iiesar paid his mentor in the same coin back.

Instantly Ra's gave his typical sign for the assassins to attack.

And attack they did. They struck at Al 'iiesar as if he was their sworn enemy, fighting in a complex choreography and getting Al 'iiesar seemingly into dire straits. Until Al 'iiesar drew his second sword, this time a mix between a xiphos and a European longsword, and switched from defence to offence. He started to attack in an unpredictable manner and a nearly unmatchable speed. He alternately took one or two at a time out of the game by knocking them out until there were only four left standing. As the two parties stood facing off each other, Al 'iiesar on one side the assassins on the other, Al 'iiesar took a run-up, leapt into the air and did a diagonal triple twist with whirling swords over the assassins, looking like a personified tornado of blades while doing this and taking out two of the remaining assassins. Using the distraction of his, by then at least to Ra's, characteristic move after he landed, Al 'iiesar also knocked out the other two assassins from behind.

The complete fight did not even last seven minutes.

It was so quiet one could have heard a pin drop. Al 'iiesar was not even panting.

After some more moments, Ra's broke the silence.

"Please welcome, Al 'iiesar. I think you saw why his fighting style justifies to call him 'Hurricane'. He is indeed a whirlwind with swords. And he was also the person, who brought me back and you all here."

**3 Flashback 03**

Nada Parbat

The second time he awoke, it was in a startling grace. He knew, he was not where he hoped to be, but this was still a better place than where he was before, except the fact, that the three meddling sisters sent him here. This was everything but his only concern: he could feel two life forces apart from himself and the strange water. He got up and looked around in this Arabic seeming room. His first instinct following, he walked through the maze of corridors in this place, Nanda Parbat as the strange women called it. As he reached his destination, he was overjoyed to find his trusted friend in the yard before the monastery like building.

The black pegasus had been sleeping peacefully until then. He decided to let his friend sleep and instead investigate this weird water, he had sensed earlier.

As many times before his instincts showed him the way to a pool.

As soon as he arrived there, he could feel the deadly poison in the water, despite this he yearned to take a dip in the pool, to recharge his energy. Letting his natural ability take the lead he concentrated and divided the poison and the water, he formed a little ball out of the poison and froze it. But instead of normal water he still felt an anomaly in it. It was like a mix between a draughty/drafty gateway and it reminded him of the feeling in his uncle's palace, a feeling of death and ghosts, but not as much as there, more like Orpheus' entrance to the underworld.

His instincts screamed at him to do anything because he sensed something in the 'gateway', so he grasped into the pool and tried to drag this thing out of the gate.

What happened next was something even weirder than he was used to. And he was used to a lot of weird things.

**AN**: This chapter is edited from the one on Wattpad (where I will also change it later), but only a bit. I hope this is to your liking and it would be nice to let me know how you think about this story.


	3. Chapter 3 - III: Happenings in Nanda Par

**1 Continuing Flashback: Emerging from the hot tub**

Taking his track record into consideration, he should have been used to unusual events happening around him. So he should not have been as surprised as he was when the translucent silhouette of a man emerged from the strange pool, while he himself was swaying on his feed cursing the golden bands that were enveloping his forearms and restraining his powers. Despite fighting against his fatigue he collapsed and fell, face first, first through the ghost, who stood inside of the pool, and then into the pool itself.

However, as soon as he had fallen through the ghost, the ghost solidified and stood next to him in the pool. The now solidified ghost was dressed in a great ornamented mantle and black clothes, at his side, he carried an impressive sword with a straight blade and a decorated handle in a sheath. His expression was stoic, only his greying dark hair looked like something had pulled at it. His pale blue eyes stared at the other man who was lying with his eyes closed in the pool, waiting for his extremely exhausted energy and power reservoir to replenish.

Until something, or better, someone yanked him out of the water.

**2 Eye of the Hurricane**

The assassins stood at attention as Ra's sliced the backside of Al 'iiesar's shirt to reveal the double spiral, that the priestess carved into his shoulder with the fervent bronze knife once belonging to his fiancée, getting lost in hell where he had found it again and named it after the there encountered creatures and its title as "cursed blade" Αρα, Greek for Curse.

Ra's turned Al 'iiesar around for the assassins to see the mark, then he beckoned the priestess over. She strode gracefully through the room holding something in her hand. As she reached Ra's she passed it to Ra's who showed it to the League. It was a pendant, that had the same double spiral as Al 'iiesar's burn mark, only this was surrounded by a circle and in the middle of the pendant was the ying-yang symbol out of emerald and black jade.

"This pendant was a gift to one of my predecessors by a nobleman for a favour. It is called 'Eye of the Hurricane'. A fitting talisman for someone of your name and prowess."

He slipped the necklace over Al 'iiesar's head, careful of the sunglasses Al 'iiesar wore instead of the masks the League normally used. His most striking feature was his unique green eyes no member of the League apart from Ra's and the priestess had seen.

"You are now officially Al 'iiesar."

**3 Flashback 04: First Fight**

He was yanked out of the water by the previous intangible man, who hauled him out of the pool and threw him onto the floor. The ghost or spirit, whatever it was, followed him, drew a sword with dragon heads for cross guards and held the sword point at the other one's throat.

"Who are you?", he asked the seemingly exhausted man laying on the floor. "Percy Jackson", he answered, then a bronze xiphos appeared in Percy's hand, he pushed the other one's sword away from his own throat, rolled away from his slightly surprised opponent and jumped to his feet.

"May I be offered the same courtesy in regards to a name?", Percy asked mockingly as they circled each other in a three-metre/nearly 10 ft distance.

"Of course", came the answer with a slight bow, "I am Ra's al Ghul, the Demon's Head."

With that Ra's attacked Percy with a diagonal over-head-strike. Percy blocked at the last possible moment, the meeting metals screeching as Percy made a step closer to hit his opponent. Ra's expertly countered the swipe to his legs with a strike to the calf, but Percy managed to doge right in time. He got out of the close range only to get attacked again. They were trading blow after blow, Percy hardly managing to hold his own in the duel. Most strikes he could barely dodge because he was already exhausted and the dip in the water was not long enough to refill his charge. Percy could block a strike that was aimed to decapitate him in the last second, but then his concentration was broken as he heard the priestess gasp and exclaim, "What is happening here?"

This short shift in attention was enough. It was all Ra's needed to stab him directly into the heart, run him completely through with the Demon-Sword.

**4 A sickbed visit**

After he had changed into his more informal clothes because Ra's had slashed his shirt, he was walking trough Nanda Parbat and ended up in the infirmary.

"How is our guest doing?", asked Al 'iiesar the priestess whose workroom he just entered.

She answered him not even glancing up, "He is healing."

"Is he already responsive?", inquired the man.

"I fear that may take more time."

Now Al 'iiesar was smirking, "Then let's speed things a bit up."

That got the priestess to glance up.

"How do you want to accomplish that?"

"That is my professional secret, but I need you to dump a bucket of water over me after it."

Then he gave his attention to the mangled man laying in the bad. He had heard stories from Ra's and the priestess about him. He was missing his left hand and had all in all a maltreat look. Ra's had brought him back, after he found him near death, near the island of Lian Yu. Blackjack had cursed more than normal after Al 'iiesar decided his trusted friend would help Ra's transport the man, Ra's called Al Sa-her, 'The magician' with real name Malcolm Merlyn. Blackjack also got him to swear in giving him doughnuts/donuts as soon as they were together in the civilisation.

Al 'iiesar controlled the water from a barrel in the room and directed it towards them. He increased Al Sah-her in the water and closed his eyes. He was never good at healing others besides himself with his powers, but he wanted information and a different point of view apart from Ra's and the priestess. And who better than one of the other key-players could give him that?


	4. Chapter 4 - IV: Undying Warrior

**1 Flashback 05: Does dying still mean something? Or Hard to die, Harder to kill**

_Nanda Parbat_

Ra's' hand fell to his side. They were all frozen, staring at the sword in Percy's chest. The silence was only broken when Percy pulled the sword out of his chest. The blade was as clean as it was before. He looked stoic at the sword in his hands, then up.

"That didn't even tickle, but it's irksome you had to ruin my shirt."

Said shirt had two holes in it, one on the backside one in the front through which the unmarred skin could be seen. Percy drove the sword into the stone floor, not taking in the astonishment of the two other people in the room. One was astonished, because his opponent was not even bothered by the sword that, moments earlier, had been in his heart, the other one because of the already mentioned and the fact Ra's al Ghul was back from the dead.

"Sharp Blade, not every sword can cut through stone", Percy complimented. He turned to the other two and set to speak on. However, he never got to utter a single additional word. The fight had ultimately taken its toll on him. So he fainted toppling over backwards right into the pool behind him.

**2 Speed up Healing**

_Nanda Parbat_

Al 'iiesar sensed the water coming to him and directed it to Malcolm Merlyn. He spread a thin layer of water over all of Malcolm's injuries and tried to will them to heal. And really slowly but surely the most severe of the wounds and broken bones started to mend as the water seeped into them and changed something. Though it also happened something that Al 'iiesar could not have foreseen. Al Sa-her's arm stump grew a bit and new bones where forming. Al 'iiesar's reserves were depleting so fast he had to stop, as soon as he sensed this change. No sooner he stopped than he nearly fainted. As promised the priestess was on scene and poured out a barrel of water over him.

"What the hell was that?", he croaked barely out laying with his back on the floor and his eyes closed.

The ever so stoic priestess was the one who answered him, "You obviously healed a part of his severed hand which put such a great strain on you. You almost fainted."

He opened one of his eyes, hardly visible, due to his sunglasses, "That was a rhetorical question."

"And that was a statement."

He just rolled his eyes at her answer and tried to get up.

"So now tell, professional, is he better?"

The priestess took a look and answered, "Yes, it shouldn't be long until he wakes up, merely some days instead of weeks or maybe months like before. You, on the other hand, should sleep. Ra's requests you to present a training exercise."

"Right, I nearly forgot that. Thanks. And please notify me if he wakes up."

"I will, Al 'iiesar."

**3 Tardy By Mistake**

_Starling City_

Oliver Queen was late, again. Only this time he was not late for a meeting or too late in stopping a crime, no, he was late for a family dinner. He had promised William to be there on time. Although there was always something almost as if the odds were stacked against him. He did not want to disappoint his son, but despite his best intentions, it happened.

The previous night he had spent more or less sleepless trying to think of a way to introduce Felicity to William as his girlfriend without William resenting Felicity. Consequently, he was dead tired in the office and after reading the first few pages of the paper he was given to read and partly sign, he fell asleep on his desk. Luckily, Quentin Lance noticed the sleeping mayor and woke him up to send him home. Still, after his wake up it was already late, too late for his dinner. So Oliver hurried as much as he could. He tried his best, but he could already feel his son's disappointment.

**4 Flashback 06: Percy's Dream**

Percy's Mind

_He was in Tartarus, not that it was something new. It was his third time down there now, but it still kept some of its horrors. He stood behind the House of Night at the edge of a cliff after encountering the terrors of the Mansion. Terrors, so horrible it was well - nigh impossible to even give describing them a try. Percy was forced to his knees by two hellhounds commanded by the women in front of him. Nyx towered tall above him in her godly height._

_"If I could I would have killed you a long time ago, godling", she growled, "Though as it is my daughters allowed me to test you. You seek security in those shackles I intended to bind your powers with, so all creatures in Tartarus could torture you. And although you broke free, now, after years you are back here."_

_Percy felt dread at these words, he never really liked tests and he did everything he could to oppress the memories of his second stay in this hell hole._

_"And despite all the things these shackles mean, you let them on because you are too afraid of your own powers. How pathetic", Nyx sneered, "I can't kill you and with your domains, it's nearly impossible to make you fade. Except, there is one way to destroy you. Of course, there's a slim possibility you could survive it. That's your test."_

_Nyx shrank to normal human height, grabbed Percy by the collar and yanked him closer to the edge, then she put him back down. He could feel what was behind him and it terrified him. Terrified him so much he could not even speak._

_"You know my daughters, the Moirai, send their greetings, Perseus. Try to survive this trial because I want to butcher you myself. But even if you won't make it: at least I get the satisfaction of being the one, who led you to your ultimate demise. Enjoy the Abyss of Chaos, Perseus Jackson."_

_With that said she trusted him into the abyss and he was falling, falling down into black nothingness._

**AN**: For the next chapter I promise there will be a (hopefully) badass fighting scene.


	5. Chapter 5 - V: Fighting with Style

**1 The Percy-Way of training (a bunch of "psychotic murderers")**

_Nanda Parbat_

He stood there in front of most of the League of Assassins in his own black gear and the black sunglasses, which he did not even take off in the night. Ra's next to him paid attention to the reaction of the crowd at what his protégé had to say.

"I was tasked to test your training and I decided to try a new training method: We play CTF, but instead of Capture The Flag, we play Capture the Fortress. I play against all of you. You win if you're able to subdue me. I win, when I reach the temple. You have three hours to prepare your strategy. Chose it carefully, I am not a person to be easily taken down. When I'm ready I'll ignite a small fire, when you are ready, send a burning arrow into the air. Everything is permitted except killing and maiming, we start in approximately three hours. Good luck. "

The crowd of assassins dissipated until only Al 'iiesar and Ra's were left standing in the training room.

"You want to take on the entire League alone? A bold move."

"Enough to show them my capabilities and gain their respect. It should also help me to evaluate them and how they work."

"Then you shall better get ready."

"I will."

Al 'iiesar used the two hours to walk around in the yard before the fortress and to inspect the crags around it. As he still had one hour left he went to his room to get the rest of his weapons. Two dozen throwing knives, two guns, some explosives, two swords additional to Riptide one, another xiphos, and the other his training katana, he let the long-xiphos stay in his room as well as his bow and arrow. He may be able to shoot straight now, but he still favoured a sword any given day. Al 'iiesar strapped the swords on his back, the guns on his ankles and the throwing knives all along his chest and forearms above the gold bands, cleaned his sunglasses and set out into the twilight of the dusk. He marched one and a half kilometre/nearly one mile out in front of the fortress, there he lightened the agreed signal: a fire with salt in it, so it burned green and blue. Then Al 'iiesar waited for the League to get into battle formation.

**2 Awakening of the Magician**

_Infirmary, Nanda Parbat_

He slowly gained his conscience back, he still felt dizzy as well as nauseous and he did not know where he was, something he had not experienced in a long time. If he just remembered what had happened, then he would probably know..., with this thought, everything came back as fast as a punch in the gut and the same feeling. He had been on Lian Yu, Thea had stepped on a landmine and he traded places with her. Then Digger Harkness and Adrian Chase's goons had caught up to him. He had jumped over Harkness, triggered the landmine and used him as a shield. He had been grievously wounded, but still able to crawl to the shore. He had been floating for a short while in distance to the shore, when the explosion had happened, after that his mind was blank.

Now he felt good, the dizzy feeling came only from laying so long. And he could swear he could feel the carpal bones of his left hand. He slowly tried to sit up, alerting the priestess to his awakened state. She came over and helped him up. He asked her groaning, recognizing the familiar surroundings, "Why am I in Nanda Parbat?"

"Ra's found you after you were wounded and brought you back here."

"Who's Ra's now?", he questioned defeated.

"The one who's horseman you were."

Malcolm paled considerably.

"How's that possible", his scratchy voice was slowly getting smoother.

The priestess smiled mysteriously and her answer was in a not any less cryptic manner, "Al 'iiesar brought him back."

Malcolm frowned quizzically.

"The Hurricane'", he translated easily, "who is he and why do you call him that? I never heard of an assassin with this name."

"If you're good enough to walk to the window and watch, maybe you can see him fight. He asked me to notify him as soon as you are awake, but given he is otherwise engaged in training the League, I don't think he minds waiting until after the game."

"Since when has the League been playing games?"

"Since today. They play something called CTF. And he's taking on the entire League by himself. Maybe you can figure out why we call him Hurricane."

**3 CTF (Capture The Fortress)**

_Outskirts of Nanda Parbat_

Al 'iiesar sat by the signal fire waiting for the flaming arrows, so he could begin. After a little while, a fiery streak was sent into the air. He stood up taking three deep breaths, a small smile gracing his lips. He was ready.

He walked out of the space that was illuminated by the fire. Then he ran silently to the sheer-walled crag. There he started to climb it up. As he was halfway up, he went sideways. He was again halfway at the monastery like building when the assassins started to shoot burning arrows in the air trying to see him in the dark giving away their positions to him in doing so, however, they also successfully spotted him in the stone face.

Al 'iiesar, who could view them now perfectly from his point high in the high stone wall, too, made a split-second decision. He leapt in a backflip right into the middle of the assassin battle formation. While doing so he drew the swords on his back, so when he landed he instantly attacked the assassins around him. He knocked the first two out with the hilts of his swords. He sidestepped the next attack from behind through another backflip over his attacker using a roundhouse-kick to knock them and two others out. After that he did the diagonal triple twist, eliminating eight more of his opponents in one go. Because of that, they came all onto him. He fought viciously and every time he crossed blades with the assassins it would emit sparks, which created sparkling showers that lightened the night.

Then, after an especially brute attack on him, Al 'iiesar started to spin around his centre the blades on different heights. The katana was a tad bit higher than the xiphos both united being a whirlwind of terrible beauty. Al 'iiesar was spinning so fast the assassins could not come near him without the danger of being torn to shreds. He slowly made his way to the front entrance, all the while deflecting sword-attacks, arrows and some stray spears.

Before he got through the gate he sheathed his swords and started to use close quarter combat moves and his throwing knives. Only ever-grazing the assassin or throwing the knives with such ferocity the assassins were knocked out with the hilt. With his agility surpassing most of the assassin's he was mostly not the one on the receiving end of the attacks.

Al 'iiesar ran through the hallways of Nanda Parbat. Most of the time he ran on the floor only when he needed to overcome an obstacle, in this case mostly an assassin, he avoided them by running on the wall or jumping over them in a salto, but evading them was harder than it sounded. So most times he had to fight them off, one on one. Al 'iiesar got nearly nicked a few times, but his spy training and Ra's taught him well. He had the right moves for handling this combats. The highest difficulty was the stair. There he had the tactical disadvantage of the lower position. He again had to draw his swords for defence. He was assaulted every step of the way up the stairs. He was attacked from every possible angle. And he had to jump quite a lot in order to dodge the tries to rush him off his feet.

He came as far as midway through the stairs when it happened. Due to the constant assault he was nearly overwhelmed, however, instead of being subdued he was pushed and fell down the flight of stairs. He had barely enough time to gather his bearings. Despite his slight dizziness, he was able to hit his opponents with the blunt side of his swords, managing to knock them out and buy himself some time to recover and plan. He carefully calculated the risks and decided to realise his plan. He took a run-up, jumped on the ornamented railing and walked it up instead of the stairs, all the while eluding every attack thrown in his way.

At the top of the stairs, he leapt over some of the assassins in a flying roundoff. Al 'iiesar barged through the doorway he knew to lead to the temple room, where the last of his opponents waited for him while others from outside entered the room, readying themselves to fight.

Al 'iiesar smiled, "here goes nothing." 

**AN**: It would be really nice if I could find a beta, but I am not sure how I should go about this. If anyone has some advice how to "recruit" or ask for a beta and how to ask, please pm me.


	6. Chapter 6 - VI: Starting a Routine

**1 Father-Son Dinner**

_Starling City_

Thanks to William's forgiveness the boy was not too angry with Oliver for being late. He even laughed as Oliver recounted his nap in the office and the awakening he got through Quentin.

William and Oliver had cooked their belated meal together, all the while William teased his father about sleeping at the job even going as far as asking him if he also slept in school. To that Oliver only smiled, but did not answer. As they were setting the table he teased him so long until Oliver exclaimed, "when will you let it go?"

William answered, a teasing smile on his lips, "probably ... never. You have to admit it's funny."

"Yeah it is, but there's only so much one's pride can take in one evening, buddy."

When they were finally sitting on the table and eating, it was William, who continued their conversation.

"So how was our day in the office, other than sleeping there?"

"Should that not be my line. Ask you what you did in school today and speak over things I have long forgotten, the works?", Oliver asked slightly confused an eyebrow raised.

William just gave him a look and exclaimed, "come on, we aren't exactly normal!", whereupon both started to chuckle like they shared an inside joke.

****

**2 Final Fight in the Fortress**

_Temple Room, Nanda Parbat_

Al 'iiesar smiled, "here goes nothing."

He was surrounded by assassins and the way to the Lazarus Pit completely blocked. Al 'iiesar wasted no time, instead he sheathed the swords and started throwing the rest of the knives at the assassins in one fluid motion. He used it as a distraction to somersault over the heads of the assassins in front of him, all the while drawing his swords. He knocked out two of his opponents with the pommel of his swords, rolled through the legs of the next only to hit them from behind with his elbows. Then he started to spin again, so none of the attackers could get into too close proximity, additionally was he fast enough to avoid the arrows shot in his way and the spears that were thrown at him. He was so fast that after just thirty seconds he stood with his back to the Lazarus Pit. He made a backflip, so he stood atop the stones around the Pit a seemingly genuine grin etched on his lips.

"I win. Without even killing anyone. I won the bet, Ra's."

Ra's appeared out of nowhere and looked with a stony and unwavering gaze at the assassins.

"To think you lot call yourselves assassins", He shook his head like he could not believe it, "You got beaten by only one man. Shame on you and begone. Training starts in five hours."

He turned back to Al 'iiesar, "They are not really rusty, but they are still not on the same level as before."

Al 'iiesar shrugged, "then we have a lot of work to do."

"Indeed."

****

**3 Flashback 07: During the Dream**

_Temple Room, Nanda Parbat_

The fight had ultimately taken its toll on Percy, in consequence, he fainted, toppling over backwards right into the pool behind him.

The priestess, who had just shortly entered the room, looked shocked from one man to the other. One was the ghost of the former Ra's, who stood there becoming more translucent by the minute, the other man, the one she had found, was lying unconscious in the Lazarus Pit. Fortunately, he did not seem to drown, but breathing in the water should have been impossible, yet so should be the ghost, standing there.

The priestess was speechless, not only was the old Ra's back, but he also stabbed another man, who obviously did not die. The former Head of the Demon apparently noticed just now the strange situation he was in and despite the probable shock he was in, he managed to ask her very calmly, "what is happening? Did Al Sah-him not kill me or was that just a dream of my future, priestess?"

Then he became aware of the tall man laying in the Lazarus Pit.

"What happened? Where are the assassins and Al Sah-him? And how does he come here?, Ra's asked again pointing a finger in Percy's direction

The priestess overcame her shock and answered calmly, "_You_ should be dead and _him_ I picked up in the front yard after a hurricane and a spiritual light."

****

**4 Sickbed visit № 2**

_Infirmary, Nanda Parbat_

Al 'iiesar stepped inside the infirmary, carrying one of the injured assassins over his shoulder.

"Sorry, but I think you have to treat some knife wounds and concussions, priestess."

He let the man fall on one of the 'beds', turned to the priestess and noticed the awakened Malcolm Merlyn

"Oh, so our sleeping beauty is awake", he exclaimed amused, "when did this happen?"

"Shortly before you started the training exercise", the priestess answered, already tending the assassin, "and that you are here and nobody is really celebrating indicates you won the training exercise."

"You are correct, they underestimated me, although they knew I could take on ten men on my own and can hold myself against Ra's, they were prideful enough to think I could not beat the whole League. Their fatal mistake. But back to our magical patient", he turned slightly and looked directly into Malcolm's face, who had watched the exchange silently gathering information on the new player, nearly missing Al 'iiesar's question.

"How are you feeling, Mr Merlyn?"

"Something between ran over by a truck and death warmed over, considered I survived an exploding island I'd rather tend to the latter", he answered possibly with a light tone of gallows humour.

"Well, when Ra's found you, you weren't far from gone and even after tending to your injuries the priestess wasn't sure you would make it. So welcome back to life."

All the while trough Al 'iiesar's explanation, Malcolm paled significantly, remembering Ra's again after he repressed that fact somehow.

"Yes, about that, how is he alive? I saw to it myself that his body was burned." After all, he had been Ra's after he received the Ring from Oliver.

Al 'iiesar seemed amused, indicated by his genuine smile, "Oh, I think there is a little misunderstanding. He is not really 'alive'. I dragged his spirit out of the Lazarus Pit by chance, so the assassins started to call him Al 'rwh '_The Spirit_'. He thinks even himself it is more appropriate than calling him Ra's since he technically is dead and all that jazz, but the priestess and I somehow call him still Ra's. But enough about that", in a matter of seconds Al 'iiesar took a turn from joyful to seriously.

"I am here to speak to you."

****

**AN**: First, روح = rwh is spoken something like [ruːᴐːoxᴐːn] (Sorry, if it is wrong, but I am not that good with the IPA).

Second, these are trying and crazy times. The corona-virus is among us, going around invisible like a ghost, it is hard to comprehend that some still think of it as nothing more dangerous than the flu, but they are wrong. The numbers show clearly how deadly this virus is. I can only hope that none of you has fatal cases in their family or is in any other way threatened by the consequences of this pandemic. It saddens me that so many political apparently never heart of the sentence, "Economy can be built up again, a lost human life not."  
It is also terrifying that in our time and age, we still have problems with the equality of all humans. It is horrifying to see what prejudice, hate and systematic racism lead to.  
Personally, I think, that if you asked all of the world's population, if they wanted freedom, peace and equality, the majority would answer with "yes". So why aren't we there yet? It has so many reasons, so let's all work together to make their number smaller and one day, we may find ourselves in a better world.  
Now, after these sombre words, I hope you enjoyed the new chapter.  
Have a good time, stay safe and healthy  
Sincerely WfS


End file.
